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Legalities in the Book of Ruth: A Renewed Look

2016; SAGE Publishing; Volume: 41; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1177/0309089216628519

1476-6728

Brad Embry,

Religion, Society, and Development

This article contends that commentaries on the book of Ruth have overlooked an important legality—that of the daughters of Zelophehad—that may aid in understanding some of the legal and literary oddities in the story of Ruth. Especially, the regulation of Zelophehad's daughters clarifies several of the curiosities in the marriage scene in Ruth 4, such as why Ruth is required in marriage in order for the kinsman-redeemer to act or why Naomi is the beneficiary of the marriage between Boaz and Ruth. Furthermore, the regulation of Zelophehad's daughters helps explain the unique combination of levirate marriage and the actions of the kinsman-redeemer found in Ruth 4.